All is well for the ride to the resort. High energy, all kinds of booze and good music by the Seven
Springs DJ Brian W. Everyone got the usual survival goody bags with caution tape for the poles.
The trip leaders were aware of the impending weather and all were advised to keep in touch in
the event we decide to leave a bit early. A raffle was held for Seven Springs’ gift cards, and the
lucky winners were Alicia and Julie. Tom (Birthday Boy) had the honor of pulling the winning
tickets. Happy 49th Tom. He even got his own lay for his birthday.
Smooth sailing on the way up with virtually no clue of the impending adventure ahead of us.
The skiing was great and the conditions were very good on most of the slopes. As the day wore
on, the weather began to change a bit. No worry, Tom and Lisa have friends at a rental shop
down the road and it only just started snowing down there a short time ago. Renee S and
Marilyn L provided some crucial road reporting on their way home while the rest of us were in
the Foggy Goggle, checking out the weather channel. They advised that they had no problems.
The turnpike was only wet and the duo was cruising at Mach 10. We were checking with the
resort staff and they were advising that the roads were ok for now, but they advised us to leave
before 9:00 P.M. So the decision was made to leave at 8:00 P.M.
The word was spread and now the fun and games can begin. Some chose for the finer cuisine
at the hotel and most of us just ate the bar food at the Goggle. Ivette and Gina worked real hard
in convincing the bar’s Entertainment Director to have the DJ start early for our group at 6:00
P.M. We also had a happy hour from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Perfect for the drunks in the crowd.
No- not us Fagowees. The dance master Mark M enthralled the screaming crowd and got the
rest of the gang up there “shaking it.” Not quite sure what they were screaming about, I think
it was a bit of laughter. Nour could not get up enough nerve for the dance floor until she had a
few shots with Bruce. Mark M had his way with a speaker stand to the delight of the crowd.
What great form Mark!!! And let the dirty dancing lines continue, until the party has to end.
Mark M. begs for “just one more song” and the rest of us, realizing we’re late for the bus,
sprint back at warp speed to avoid the wrath of Gina and Ivette.
Now we are off. The lot where the buses are parked have not been plowed and there is a
three foot-high wall to barge thru to hit the road. Bob asks Bruce to go see if it’s ok to launch
and now we are on our way. Bruce jumps back on and we are heading to the gate. I don’t
think we got one quarter of a mile when the tires began to spin. What no snow tires, no
chains? Bruce gets out to help with the traffic so that we may get a salt truck to help us. Tom
C, Dave H, Chip and Rich J come to aid this newly formed traffic control unit. Just as they have
things under control so the salt truck can lend a helping hand, a Coachman bus decides to
pass us and got stuck at the bend getting outta Seven Springs’ parking lot and prevented EVERYONE
from leaving the resort….payback was that the same bus later lost his transmission in the
snow piles…. IS THAT KARMA OR WHAT!! Hee hee... Lots of yelling, cursing and other fun lingo
set the tone for the next wave of fun.
We partied on the bus hard until midnight. And then when we got stuck a second time, things got a little ugly. Luckily we had beer... but we ran outta water... We MUST be getting old to be running outta water .. Good beer moderation by all to ensure beer never DRIED UP.
Wait, there is a Hummer who wants to drive thru the whole mess of stuck buses. The Hummer driver keeps telling Bruce to back off from his truck. What a cocky Hummer dude! The Hummer dude makes a run for it when he sees an opening. Now Canuk Tom is in hot pursuit, but the Hummer dude escaped the mad Canuck. Rich then gets assigned to the top of the hill so traffic can’t come down the hill and block our path again.
After the salt truck plowed and spread some salt we are off finally. We stop to pick up the icicle man. Rich’s left side of his head was iced over and he had no hat. So now Rich and all others jump on and we are off again. Only 6.5 miles to the turnpike.
Bruce begged for dry socks, since he was wearing the wrong shoes for traffic control. I think
we made it another mile or two when we became stuck again. If the trip could not get any more
exciting our driver advises that the only way we are getting moving again is with a tow truck that
might arrive by 6:00 A.M. One of the buses that passed us apparently fried its transmission up
the road and the entire group was walking and some skiing back to the resort.
Bruce was trying to convince the group to start walking also, and then an ANGEL arrived on the scene. A snow plow driver stopped, time now around 1:00 or 2:00 A.M., and dumped a pile of salt. Bruce and Rich began shoveling for a bit until a seasoned construction worker showed us how it’s done by a professional. Chip took charge and shoveled the salt under the bus until we got enough grip to escape. Bruce begs for dry socks and changes into his dry ski clothes. What a relief!!!
Since we got a late start to the turnpike the rest of the ride was no fun, especially for our driver Bob, who we found out, gets paid by the trip and not by the hour. The bus arrived at Lakefront at around 7:30 A.M.
Also a big THANK YOU to everyone who was on the 2010 Seven Springs bus trip. We appreciate
your patience and cooperation for the unexpected long snowy ride home. Now the
Fagowees can always be prepared for the unexpected!!!
